Sight-exhibiting machine



(No Model.)

. F. EUPHRAT.

SIGHT BXHIBITING- MACHINE.

' Patented Nov. 12, .1889.

Inu-laminat N. PETERS, Fhowuehngnphnr. wnhingxm: D t;

vIINITED STATES PATENT 'Erica FREDERIC EUPIIRA'I, OF SAN FRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA.

-IGHT-EXHIBITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,764, dated November12, 1889.

Application led February 14, 1889. Serial No. 299,818. (No model.)

To all 1072/0772/ t may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERIC EUPHRAT, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city and 'county of San Francisco, in the State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Sight-E Xhibiting Machine, ofwhich the following is a specication.

My invention consists in a new kind of optical instrument constructed insuch a manner that through the act of dropping `a coin or the like intothe apparatus a person, standing upon the platform of such apparatus, isenabled to see the pictures or other 0bjects displayed within as long asdesired, or until such person'steps off the platform.

In order to carry out my invention, I, provide my machine with one, two,or more lenses, such as are generally used in stereoscopes, panoramicdevices, microscopes, picture-exhibitors, or other optical instruments;a platform or other suitable contrivance for receiving the person whointends to look through such lens or lenses; a movable coveringinterposed between the lenses and the' pictures vor objects to beviewed; an aperture through which a coin of predetermined size andweight may be dropped into the apparatus, and by means of an appropriatemechanism remove such covering' and throw the rays of .tn electric lightupon the scenes disclosed, and means for reversing such mechanism,shutting` off the light, and bringing back the covering as soon as theobserver leaves the platform.

The nature of my improvements and the manner in which I construct myinvention are fully set forth in the following description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a sectionalelevation of my apparatus, disclosing the interior mechanism in a frontview; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same, taken on line y y, Fig. 1,looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 3, a broken perspective viewof lthe coin-chute and coinreeeiver; and Fig. 4, a detailed view inperspective of the coin-receiver and means connecting the same t0 thecovering-lever and to the wires of the electric lamp.

Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout all the views.

A represents the frame-work of the apparatus, which does not differmaterially in appearance from those now in use. The'pictures or objectsto be viewed may be conveniently displayed upon a ribbon or endless beltB, wound around drums O C, journaled in suitable bearings. One or moreeye-pieces D, provided with appropriate lenses and set in theface-board, allow one who has complied with theconditionshereinaftersetforth to gaze upon the things exhibited.

Light may be supplied in several ways, but I prefer using an electriclamp E, which hangs from the tcp of the apparatus. This lamp is fed froma battery F at the bottom of the exhibitor, the electric current.flowing through the wires G G when the connectionplates H II arebrought into contact. A covering I is provided and disposed s0 as torest directly opposite the eye-pieces and shut off the View from theobjects within the machine when not in use. This covering may be removedin numerous ways-as, for instance, by folding, sliding,turning, orrolling; but I preferably raise it through the means of a tripping-leverJ, fulcrumed at a. One end of the latter carries the covering justmentioned and the other a tilting tray'or coin-receiver K. The heavierside of this receiver rests upon the check-nger b, always tending` toreassume this position when tipped over. Stops c c, besides, confine therevolution of the tray within certain limits.

An adjustable counterpoise L permits to balance the lever J in such amanner that it will habitually lie in a horizontal plane, the covering Ibeing lowered and the coin-receiver abutting again st the chute M. Thelever is, however, gaged so that the mere weight of a coin of apredetermined denomination will overbalance 'it and cause it to raisethe covering, while the coin -receiver will be broughtvdown close to theupper part of the money bag or box N, as shown in dotted lines inFig.-1. By the same movementvthe connection-plates H H, referred toabove-one of which is attached to the coin-tray and the other to theside of the money box-are brought into contact, and the electric currentestablished from the battery F to the lamp E. The covering I is broughtback and the IOO light turned off bythe following means: Upon theoutside, directly in front of the exhibitor, .I place a platform O, onwhich the spectators have to stand. This rests upon a spring l), whichalways tends to keep it raised. A push-rod Q is attached to the underside of the platform and extends within the body of the machine, whereit is jointed to a swinging arm R. One end of the latter is hinged toone side of the frame-work, and the other brought in close proximity tothe money/box N, into which it is adapted to dump the contents of thetray K, thus re-establishing the balance of the lever J and severing theeen neetion of the plates II II.

The operation of my device is as follows: A person wishing to lool; atthe pictures or objects displayed within the exhibitor steps upon theplatform O, which bears down upon the push-rod Q, and thereby withdrawsthe swinging arm It from any possible contact with the level' J. If nowa coin of the requisite denomination is dropped through the slit atthenpper end of the machine, down the chute M, into the tray K,itsweight will overbalance the lever J, the covering I will be raised, andthe electric lamp lighted, hereinbefore described. This will allow theobserver to examine the pictures or objects ex hibited in the machine.After t-hesc have been viewed, or as soon as the beholder steps olf theplatform, the latter is raised through the action oi' the spring P andthe push -rod Q shoved back to its former position, carrying up theswinging arm R. In this movement the latter strikes the under side ofthe tray K, tipping it over and causing the coin deposited therein toslide into the money-box. This releases the tripping-lever J, whichfalls back to its horizontal position and drops the covering between theeye-pieces and the objects exhibited, as before. In the meantime theconnection between the plates I'III being disestablished the light isturned oif while the coin-receiver reassumes its former position inreadiness for the next exhibition.

It is manifest that in building my machine numerous changes might beresorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, and Itherefore do not coniine myself to the precise mode of construction norto the particular form of mechanism herein'before described.

IIavil'lg .fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A sight-exhibiting machine having an aperture for receiving a coin, atray or coin-- receiver held by a tripping-lever, a money bag or box, aplatform supported by a spring, and a mechanism connected with the sameadapted to tilt said coin1'eceiver and dump its contents into saidmoney-box, substantially as described.

A sight-exhibiting machine havingan electric lamp, an electric battery,means adapted to connect said lamp with said battery, a platformsupported by a spring, and a mechanism attached to the' same fitted 1odisconnect said lamp and said battery, sub stantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. In a sightexhibiting machine, the lever J, holding the covering I atone end, the tray K at the other, and the adjustable eonnterpoise I.,substantially as described.

4t. In a sight-exhibiting machine, the tilting tray K, having the stopsc c, and a con nectionlnate lI, substantially as shown, for the purposesspecified.

5. In a sight-exhibiting machine, the combination of the lever J, trayK, check-finger b, and stops c c, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

6. In a sightexhibiting machine, the combination of the platform O,spring I, pushrod (2, swingin` arm R, lever J, covering I` and eoin-trayIt, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal.

` FREDERIC EUPIIRAT. \\'itnesses:

A. H. STE MARIE, A. PAR.

